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AHDR 2016 examines challenges and opportunities facing youth in the Arab region, especially since 2011, and seeks to provide an overview on youth in the region and stimulate a broad dialogue between youth and key stakeholders on the future of development in the region, focusing on the role of youth as critical partners at this very point in time. The point of departure of the report is the demographic fact that the current youth generation is the largest youth cohort this region has had over the past 50 years, making up 30% of its population of 370 million. 

Humankind has achieved unprecedented social progress over the past several decades. Poverty has declined dramatically around the world and people are healthier, more educated and better connected than ever before. However, this progress has been uneven. Social and economic inequalities persist and, in many cases, have worsened. Virtually everywhere, some individuals and groups confront barriers that prevent them from fully participating in economic, social and political life. Against this backdrop, inclusiveness and shared prosperity have emerged as core aspirations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The report, Non-standard employment around the world: Understanding challenges, shaping prospects , highlights the policies needed to improve the quality of non-standard jobs. The report finds that there has been a rise in non-standard forms of employment (NSFE) globally, including increases in temporary work, part-time work, temporary agency work and subcontracting, dependent self-employment and disguised employment relationships. 

Africa has the youngest population in the world, with almost 200 million people between the ages of 15 and 24—a number that is expected to double by 2045 (African Economic Outlook 2015). Although many jobs have been created by Africa’s growing economies, job creation has not been enough to accommodate the expanding youth population. The International Labor Organization estimates that only 16 million of 73 million jobs created in Africa between 2000 and 2008 were filled by youth. Sixty percent of Africa’s unemployed are youth, even more are underemployed, and youth unemployment rates are double those of adult unemployment in most countries (African Economic Outlook 2015). Across 34 African countries, citizens regard unemployment as the top problem facing their nations (Dome 2015).